Oil filter



nited States Patent Patented Mar. 15, 196i) f3 ace oIL ruLTEn Harry J. Lawrence, Milwaukee, Wis., assigner to Pere C. Sorenson and Lee Jewell, both of Wauwatcsa, Wis.

Application December 28, 1956, Serial No. 631,136

Claims. (Cl. 210-451) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in a filter container and filter assembly, and more particularly to such improvements in oil filters adapted for use in circulating oil systems of internal combustion engines, such as commonly employed in automobile engines and the like.

In general, the invention contemplates the provision of an oil filter assembly including a novel form of container for receiving a readily replaceable filter unit therein. More particularly, however, the invention is concerned with the provision of a filter assembly wherein the container is adapted to receive and support a filter unit in the form of a commercially available roll of tissue, such as toilet tissue or a roll of tissue paper or cellulose toweling having the proper absorbent qualities.

With the above in mind, one of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a filter container which is of extremely simple and inexpensive construction in that the principal parts thereof may be sheet metal stampings that can be inexpensively formed by stamping and punching operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a filter container which is constructed and arranged to support the filter unit in position such that there is substantially free ingress of oil to the container and egress of oil therefrom.

. A further object of the invention is to provide a filter container which includes a removable filter unit support to thus facilitate cleaning of the container when a filter unit is replaced.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a filter assembly wherein the core of the filter unit is effectively sealed against the passage of oil therethrough.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a filter assembly having improved oil flow characteristics and having simplified means for mounting the same in variously designed installations.

The invention still further aims to provide `a filter assembly which is of extremely simple construction and which is easily manipulated to permit removal of a used filter unit, cleaning of the filter container and replacement with a new filter unit.

rlhe above and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the 'lilter assembly i of Fig. 2; l

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the removable suppo for the filter unit;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a typical commer'cally available filter unit such as a roll of tissue; and

Fig.vv 6 illustrates a modified embodiment.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1 at this time, the filter assembly is illustrated as including a container 10 having a closing cover 12 secured thereto by a wind nut 14 or the like, as will be hereinafter explained. The oil inlet line 16 is connected to a fitting 18 mounted on the container wall and the oil outlet line 20 is connected to a fitting 22 mounted on the bottom wall of the container.

The filter assembly is mounted in a particular environment by bracket members 24, 26. The bracket member 24 includes a vertical arm 27 and a horizontal arm 28, the horizontal arm 28 being provided with a longitudinal slot 29 therethrough. The bracket member 26 includes a horizontal arm 30 and a vertical arm 31. The horizontal arm 30 of the bhacket 26 has fixed thereto a screw member 32 which is adapted to pass through the slot 29 and to be held in adjusted position by a wing nut 33 or the like. With this type of double bracket assembly,

the filter can be mounted in various positions, depending upon the particular design of the automobile or other installation where it is to be used. Thus, by loosening the wing nut 33, the bracket 26 may be adjusted longitudinally with respect to the bracket 24 and, similarly, bracket 26 may be rotated about the screw axis for angular adjustment with respect to the bracket 24. Likewise, the bracket 26 may be reversed with respect to the bracket 24 so that the arm 31 of the bracket 26 will project upwardly. It will be appreciated, therefore, that this bracket assembly is one which can be adapted to .properly mount the filter assembly in various installations having different space requirements or the like.'

Referring to Fig. 2, the container 10 is shown as including a bottom wall 36 and a side wall 37, illustrated as being cylindrical. The container can thus be formed in a stamping or drawing operation to provide its cuplike configuration which is adapted to snugly receive a roll of tissueV or the like, as shown in Fig. 5, which includes multiple windings ofthe tissue 3S and a centrally disposed hollow core 39 usually of cardboard or the like.

Near the upper end of the side wall 37 of the container, there is provided an opening 40 which communicates with the bore 41 of the fitting 18 to which the hollow inlet line 16 is attached. This fitting 18 includes a reduced portion 42 which is snugly fitted vin a coresponding opening in the bracket arm 27 and is brazed, welded or otherwise secured as at 43, to the container wall. Likewise, the bracket arm 27 is also brazed, welded or otherwise secured as at 44 to the container wall.

The bottom wall 36 of the container is centrally apertured to receive the fitting 22 which is brazed, welded or otherwise secured, as at 45, thereto. This fitting 22 includes a short longitudinal passage 46 and one or more radial passages 47 communicating therewith and forming the outlet for the filtered oil which will then pass to the outlet line 20.

The fitting 22 includes a relatively long stem 48 which is of a cross section slightly reduced with respect to the portion 49 in which the bores or passages 46, 47 are formed. The oppositeor free end of the stem 48 is threaded to threadedly receive the wing nut 14.

The cover 12 includes an outer substantially cylindrical portion 5l) having a depending outer liange 51 and carrying on its inner surface a gasket 52 of 'Ihiokol orlother artificial rubber, or other material which is impervious to oil and resistant to deterioration by contact therewith. Thecenter portion of the cover curves or tapers downf wardly as at 53, to merge into a slightly conical portion 54 which extends downwardly and inwardly to the center end 55 of the cover. The center portion 55 of the cover is apertured to permit the passage of the stem 48there`- through but is sealed by a gasket 56 also of Thiokolxor stem passages 47, v46.

. Y 3 the like and against whichthe hub'of the wing nut 14 is pressed when the parts are tightened together.

For supporting the bottom of the roll of tissue within the filter container, there is provided a washer member 58 of the type shown in Fig.V 4. This washer member'is undulated around its outer edge portion to provide spaced high points S9 radiating from thecenter and alternately spaced low points 60. The high -surfacesj59,constitute substantially straight edges 'which project under a portion ofthe tissue roll and serve to support the same above the bottom wall of thercontainer, the alternate low points 69 engaging the bottom wall of the container for thispurpose. The washer 58 has a central aperture dened byan annular angerportion 61 which is ofv an internal diameter to provide a relatively tight press lit with the external surface of the portion 49 of the iitting22, thus to resist upward flow of oil into the space within the core 39 Bof the tissue roll.

After the supporting washer 58 is'fitted into the bot-V tom Vof the container Vin the manner described abovethe` g rolly of tissue is fitted within the container to rest upon the high surfaces 59 of thewasher S3. Then the cover 12 is placed on the container with the threaded end of the stem projectingthrough the bottom central portion S of the cover inrorder to threadedly receive the wing nut 14. There is thus providedbetween the topt'of the` tissue roll and the cover a relatively/large annular space Y cleaned.- The washer 58 isrthen threaded on to the stem 48 and again press-fitted over the lower portion 49 of the `sternand a new'tissueroll is inserted and theV cover reapplied in the manner pointedl out above.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily appreciated that the present invention provides an extremely simple and inexpensiveiilter assembly and one in which the ingress and egress of oil is` greatly facilitated in that there is substantially no obstruction to the oil flowing into 63 for. the reception'of oilV to be ltered from'the inlet line 16. The wing nut is tightenedrin orderitocom press the sealing vwashers 52, A56and in doing so the conical. portion 54'will eiect a progressively tighter wedging e tit` with the inner surface of the core SELof the tissue roll,` thus to eiectively seal the interior of Vthe core 39 against passage of oil theretol from the annular cham.-

ber 63. The downwardly dished portion 53 of the cover` provides an external recessr'within which the wing nut 14 l isfhousedjso that it willnot project above the top'offthe cover when invtightened position. Thetightening of the Wingnut may'be varied to some extent to increase or decrease the'compactness of thefupper surface Vof the tissue roll. but in order to prevent undue`tigliteningand re' sultant deformation of the cover and a too tight'comtherlilter and substantially no obstruction is afforded by the supporting washer 58 to the egress of filtered oil therefrom.` The washer 58 alfordsample support for the tissue roll but its undulatingconguration also provides for the free ow of iiltered oil along its surfaces so as to gain' access to the bottom of the container along which thei oil is free to flow to the egress passage 47.` `The cover,` with its conical center portion, provides' a tight wedging seal between the inner surface of the roll core 39 and the oil chamber 63 above the tissue roll. The container parts;

eXcept for theA fittings and Wingnut', are conveniently VVformedof stamped ordrawn'sheet'metalparts; thus reudering vthe manufacture and assembly a rel'ativelyinex` pensive Yoperations` The mounting'. of `the inlet tting 18 in association with the bracket 24 constitutes aneffective mounting and at the` same time the bracket arm271fo`rms a convenient reinforcingsupport for the iitting18. The outlet' litting 422 with its integral stem 48 serves `'the double function' of providing` the oil outlet aswellas the securing and sealing means forthe cover.` l l `A Fig. illustrates a modiedembodiment. In. some instances itV is desirable that the support means, which' comprises the washer S8 in theembodiment of the inven pacting of. the roll, the stem 48 may be provided with an outward'stop ange 62 to prevent depression ofthe center portion 55 of the cover therebelow.

In operation of the Vfilter assembly, oillto be filtered will enter theunencumbered space 63 from the inlet line 16. It will be seen thatV there is thus free llow of oil into Y this Achamber above the lter medium.` Oil will then pass Y through the rolled. layers of tissue whichactas a filter and the ltered oil will` then pass along the bottom wall of the container and flow to the outlet line 20 through the lt will be noted that the high and. low points or surfaces 59, @of the Washer 53 merge with one another-along downwardly/inclined surfaces so tion previously described, be embodied directly as a part of the casing structure, instead of being provided as a separate washer member. Suchran arrangement is illustrated in Fig; 6y wherein it will be seen that the lower 'portion of. thecasingasindicated atY 39a is provided with an undulating formatiom as indicated at 70,"l1avingr essentially the same form and1characteristics as the Washer' 58 previously described. This formation may be imparted to the'sheetmetal. casing, as Vit is stamped and otherwise While certainrprleferredforms ofthe inventionv have been shown for purposesof illustration, itis to befclea'rly understood thatvan'ous changes in the. details of conthat the oil'issuing from theziilter roll will V'tend to flow Y,

down the inclined surfaces to theitroughs, so to speak,

which in turn inclineout'wardly to the Vlow points 60 of i the washer. Thus, the washer tendsto cause thegow of filteredV oil away from the central lportion thereof and to prevent its building up within the tissue rollf core 39. The

washer 58 is of a diameterless than'` the diameter ofthe bottom of the container so that". oil dropping from Athe washer at the low `points will. then-ow beneath.the Vwasher Vand gain access to vthe outlet portrrr47.Y Thusrit will. be seen that there are provided relatively wide channelspaces beneath the high surfaces 59 ofth'e washer so thatqthe filtered oil is free to pass alongV these passages to the4 central outlet. vIt is to be further noted that the center flanged, portionof the washer is substantially the -high point thereof and is press-fitted on to the stemportion 49. above thepassage or passages 47.

struction and arrangement of parts may--be'made with-1 out departing from-the scope/ and spirit of the vinvention as set forth in thefappend'ed claims.

I claim:

container of readily formable sheetmaterial, a tissue roll including a tubular core'ser-ving as the filter unit. replaceremoved. and discarded. It Vis often desirable toclean ably fitted in the container,l means'supporting the roll above the bottom of. the container to provide for the flow of -ltered oil therebelow, a cover of'. readily formable sheet Vmaterial for the openend of the 'container and having a depending central portion with an imperforateside Vwallriitting within the adjacent end ofthe core tosealthe `sameagainst passage of oil thereto andproviding, with i the containerV wall and adjacent end of the roll, an' annular oil receivingV chamber above said tissue roll,l oil inletpassage means above said'tis'sne' roll and leading directly to said annular chamber Vfrom which the oil passes downwardly through theA tissue foil, and oil outlet passage means through the bottomrof the container and in alignment` with saidl core of: ther tissue` roll.`

2. Anoiliilterr according to clainrfl wherein said form' able sheet materialisrshcetxmotal'. t r- 3. An oil lter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oil inlet passage means includes a conduit fitting secured to the side Wall of the container above the top of the tissue roll to direct oil laterally into the oil receiving chamber.

4. An oil lter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oil outlet passage means includes a conduit tting centrally secured to the bottom of the container, and whereinvthe said conduit tting includes an elongated solid stem projecting through the core and central portion of the cover and threaded at the upper end thereof for receiving a fastener to secure the cover in closed position with the fastener housed within the depending portion of the cover, whereby removal of said fastener permits easy access to said tissue roll for replacement thereof.

S. An'oil filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support means for the roll comprises a removable plate member bent to provide lower portions engaging the bottom of the container and upper portions in supporting engagement with the roll and with the intermediate, downwardly inclined portions providing oil ilow" passages.

6. An oil lter as claimed in claim 1, wherein a stem member projects centrally upwardly from the bottom of the container, and wherein the support means for the roll comprises a removable undulated washer-like member having a central opening through which the stem extends.

7. An oil lter as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stem is generally of lesser diameter than the central opening in the washer to facilitate application and removal thereof but is provided with an increased diameter portion adjacent the bottom of the container operating to provide a pressed friction fit with the washer material around the central opening therein.

8. An oil lter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means supporting the roll above the bottom of the container comprises a plurality of undulations formed in the container bottom wall.

9. In an oil filter having a filter element in the form of a tissue roll wrapped on a tubular core, the provision of a container of readily formable sheet material for receiving the tissue roll, a sheet material cover for the container, said cover having a central depressed portion terminating in a conical portion providing a wedging seal with the interior of the adjacent end of the core, said cover defining an annular chamber between a wall of said container and said central depressed portion, a stem member proi jecting from the bottom of the container through said depressed portion of the cover, and a wing nut cooperating with the stem to secure the cover on the container in sealed relation therewith, said `wing nut being substantially housed within the depression provided by said depressed portion of the cover.

10. In an oil filter as claimed in claim 9, wherein there n is provided at the bottom of the container spacing plate means supporting the tissue roll above the bottom of the container.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,302,731 Trekell May 6, 1919 '1,753,809 Short Apr. 8, 1930 2,547,857 Cook Apr. 3, 1951 2,597,217 Zenick May 20, 1952 2,661,846 Lash Dec. 8, 1953 2,750,048 Hlbish June 12, 1956 

